AKAROA REGATTA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5494, 17 December 1885, Page 4

AKAROA REGATTA.

I Morning broke at Akaroa with a clear sky and a dead calm, and grumblers prognosticated the failure of the sailing races ; but towards the time for the start a nice little breeze sprang up, and yachtsmen's spirits rose in consequence. The Union Shipping Company's steamer Hawea left the wharf at Lyttelton at 8.15 o'clock, taking about three hundred excursionists, a number rather smaller than were carried in previous jears, owing, perhaps, to the rough trip they experienced twelve months ago. Fortune, however, smiled on them yesterday in a most flattering manner. A gentle breeze tempered the heat of the summer sun. There was, of course, a bit of a sea, but the otherwise beautiful weather made even the worst of the sailors amongst the steamer's passengers take their woes in a philosophical frame of mind. The Committee wisely decided to start the first race on the programme punctually at 11.30, the hour at which it was timed on the cards, as the race was only of local interest. The Antelope, cutter, was the flagship for the day, by the kind permission of Captain Malcolmson, and the little craft was admirably suited for the purpose. At noon, when the Hawea hove in sight, gaily decorated with bunting, her appearance was greeted with cheers, and immediate preparations were made for getting the yachts under weigh. The yacht race this year was one of great interest, owing to the number of boats entered and the rivalry hetween the owners and crows of the craft 3 entered. Tho yachts were of a very good class, as such woll known clippers as the Surprise, Zephyr and

i Chance, who have all met previously, and! i under various circumstances of weather . and seamanship ; and such new candidates i for honours as the Una, who by-the-way '■ sailed in the second-class yacht races of the ; Akaroa Eegatta last year, the new yacht : the Neva, as the boat built by Westlake is to be called, and the Little Wonder, the i boat built by Sinclair at Lyttelton. The > latter, in her preliminary spins, showed that i in a moderate breeze and smooth sea she ! travels right well. The Surprise also , showed herself to be in good trim, her beautifully fitting suit of sails helping her considerably in the race. The Una has had since last year some alteration made 1 in her sail-plan, which was expected to make considerable improvement in her speed. Friendly Societies' Race. Good Intent (1.0.0. F., M.U.)— W. Watkins, W. Stuart, W. Glynan ... 1 > Foam (I.O.G.T.)— Huston, Munro, C. Pool 2 There were only two boats in this race, which started off Green Point. A good and most punctual start was got, and the boats raced neck and neck down to the flagship, i where the Good Intent, which was rowed ; without a coxswain, had a lead of three . lengths, her crew pulling well together and in good style. After turning the buoy for home, the Good Intent went right away from her opponent, and won in a very easy Btyle by about a dozen lengths. Yacht Eace. ! Zephyr (7 tons)— T. S. Baker 1 Surprise — E. Veal 2 Little Wonder — J.Sinclair 0 Neva (8 tons) — J. Galbraith 0 Chance (7 tons) — Black and Brown ... 0 Una (5 tons)— E. S. Latter 0 The boats started from the following , positions: — Surprise on the outside and to next the Chance, Zephyr, . Neva, Little Wonder, and Una in the order named. The Surprise had a square topsail set, the Chance and Neva jib-headed top- | sails, the Zephyr had two reefs in hor big sliding gunter-sail, and the Una carried ; the whole of her one sail. The start was a wonderfully even one, of which tho Una . got a little the worst. The Una then got , Vo windward of the Little Wonder and Neva. The Zephyr went away at first from the other, but went too far to leeward, and had to haul his sheet to round , the Eed House buoy. The Surprise went round the buoy first, followed by the Chance, Little Wonder, Neva, and Zephyr in order named. Coming out of Wainui, the Surprise led, with the Chance second, but owing to the distance it was difficult to make out the boats. The Zephyr was well handled and very lucky, and getting a lead off the land, rounded the Tekoa Bay first, Surprise second, and finished the first round in that order. After rounding the flagship first, with the Surprise second, and Little Wonder third, the Zephyr carried away her main-halyards, but they were immediately knotted without loss ef time. The Surprise carried away her weather topmast stay, and had to take in her topsail. This was, however, reset a little later on. The Zephyr, which waa well handled by Mr Baker, kept her advantage till the finish, though if one of the two first boats was moving faster than the other it was the Surprise. The time taken for the race was : — Start, lhr Bmin 30sec p.m. First round, Zephyr, 2hr 33min ssec p.m. ; Surprise, 2hr 34min 58soc p.m. Finish, Zephyr, 4hr smin 23aec p.m. > Surprise, 4hr llinin 27sec p.m. Sailing Eace, for decked or half-decked boats. First prize, .£l2 and cup ; second, £3. Emu (Huston), red 1 Dream (Tosswill) O Only these two started for this race. The Dream at once went to the front, and held the best position till making a tack in Tekoa Bay she was becalmed, leaving the Emu to go in alone. The Dream, after lying becalmed in the bay, got a puff of wind, but finished a long way behind the Emu. Start, lhr 30min 30sec p.m. Emu finished, 3hr 12min p.m. Pair-Oared Dingy Race, for boys under 18. First prize, .£l2 and cup ; second, dBl. Spray — W. Hemming way (bow), J. Daly (stroke), Nqonan (cox) 1 Sausage Skin — E. Noonan (bow), A. M'Gregor (stroke), A. Noonan (cox) 2 Blue Dingo — H. Phillips (bow), F. Sims (stroke), H. Mitchell (cox) ... 3 This race was a gift to the Spray crew, who were much older aud heavier than their opponents. They led from start to finish, and pulled well, as did the crew of the second boat. Sailing Eace, in open boats. Scud (Knudson) 1 Avalanche (Baker) 2 The Scud proved herself a good boat, disposing of the only other competitor comfortably. * Start — lh 15m 30sec p.m. ; finished 3h 40__45sec p.m. Double Sculling Race. First prize, .£ls ; second, £5. Toi Toi (C.B.C.)— A. Winterbourne (bow), G. Wright (stroke), O'Donnell (cox) 1 Takapuna (L.B.C.) — W. Fitzsimmons (bow), Taylor (stroke), Sinclair (cox) 2 Clio (U.E.C.)— J. G. Eule (bow), S. C. Kesteven (stroke), H. Hinge (cox) 3 Kea (C.E.C.)— Grierson (stroke), Boulton (bow), Harvey (cox) ... ... 0 Five crews entered for this race. Passing the flagship the Cure crew led, with Canterbury very close up. Kaiapoi still led rounding the mark, but then pulled right out of their course, but, seeing the error of their ways, headed their boat round, and, pulling splendidly, won by about a length from Lyttelton. Time — 9min 7sec. Centre - Board Sailing Race ; open boats. First prize, £2 ; second, .£2. Joker (Walton) 1 The Jeannette (Lyon) and the Faugh-a-Ballagh (Bullock) also started in this race, which was not commenced till very late in the day, owing to a number of the hands on the boats being part of the crews in other races. The breeze was very light during the race, which was finished just as the steamer left the wharf. Pair-Oared Race. Clio (U.R.C.)— F. A. Styche, bow; J. Fuller, stroke; W. Hulbert, cox ... 1 Takapuna (L.R.C.)— T. Harkiss, bow; C. Fitzsimmons, stroke; Sinclair, cox 2. Kea (C.R.C.)— Boulton, bow ; Grierson, stroke; Harvey, cox 3. Toi Toi (C.B.C.)— R. Day, bow; A. Winterbourne, stroke; O'Donnell, cox 0 At the start tlie Kaiapoi boat broke an outrigger, and was left at the post. Lyttelton jumped away with the lead, and was half a length ahead. Lyttelton turned the mark first, with Canterbury and Union together. A slashing race ensued between the Lyttelton and Union crews, resulting in a half length victory for Fuller's crew, the Canterbury crew a moderate third. Sailing Race, in open boats. First prize, .£G ; second, £2. Dove (E. Collet.) 1 Foam (E. S. Chappell) 2 The Spray (E. Collett), Paul Pry (W. Glynan), Molly (J. Hammond), and Sylph (W. Hammond) also ran. This race, sailed late in the afternoon, was a well contested one, first one then another of the boats appearing to lead ,- but the colours carried by them were co small as to be indistinguishable from a distance. Junior Double Scu_ls. Kea (C.E.C.)— Dunnage (bow), M'Beth (stroke), Harv«y (cox) 1 Clio (U.R.C.)— F. Garland (bow), E. Shand (stroke), W. Hulbert (cox) 2 Toi Toi (C.B.C.)— F. Weston (bow), W. Aj er3 (stroke) , O'Donnell (cox) ... 3 Takapuna (L.R.C.)— J. Reed (bow), N. Galbraith (stroke), Sinclair (cox) 0 No Name (A.E.C.)— J. Hennessy (bow), J. Treleaven (strobe), Wells (cox) 0 This was a most hollow race, won by the C.E.C. boat by about 12 lengths, Kaiapoi eight lengths away, third. Time— Bmin 2.7 sec. The Centre-board Sailing Eace, which was the last race to be finished, completed one of the most enjoyable regattas ever held in (Akaroa. There might have been more wind for the yachts, but this, of course, would have in a measure spoilt tho pulling races ; and yesterday, while there was wind enough to enable tho sailing races to bo satisfactorily finished, there was not too much for the stump outriggers. The Committee of the Akaroa Eegatta are to be congratulated on the su.ccss of

the meeting, going, as they do, to bo much - trouble and expense every year in getting it up for boating men, and they are especially to-be commended for their encouragement ! of sailing events in their programme. ; The Hawea left Akaroa at 6.30 p.m. for . Lyttelton, and, in a fresh nor'-weßter and ! a good rolling swell, reached the wharf at ; about 10.30 p.m. While speaking of the • Hawea, thanks are due to her genial com- ' mander- Captain Hansby, for his courtesy to his passengers and the Press during the ! day. A special train conveyed the excurj sionißts to Christchurch, where they dispersed.